This document discusses different types of hydraulic turbines used to convert potential energy of water into mechanical work. It describes three main types: Pelton wheel (impulse turbine), Kaplan turbine (axial flow propeller turbine), and Francis turbine (mixed flow reaction turbine). The Pelton wheel uses high head water and has a single wheel with buckets that the high-speed water jet hits to rotate the wheel. The Kaplan turbine is for lower heads and resembles a ship propeller. The Francis turbine operates under medium heads and has many curved runner vanes that guide the mixed radial and axial water flow.

1. By
Shahriyar Zafar Sandhu
Sec#A
12-C-840
Civil Engineering Department
University College of Engineering
Sciences and Technology
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2. • Basic working principle:
Hydraulic turbines convert the potential energy of water into
mechanical work.
• Three most popular hydraulic turbines are :
• Pelton wheel (Pelton turbine)
• Kaplan turbine (Propeller turbine)
• Francis turbine
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3. • This turbine is named after Lester A. Pelton (1829 – 1908) an
American Engineer who developed it in the year 1880.
• Pelton wheel is a high head turbine. It is used with heads of
more than 500 metres.
Note :
A head is the distance the water falls before it strikes the
turbine blades.
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4. • The flow of water is tangential
to the runner. So it is a
tangential flow impulse turbine.
• A Pelton’s runner consists of a
single wheel mounted on a
horizontal shaft.
• Water falls towards the turbine
through a pipe called penstock
and flows through a nozzle.
• The high speed jet of water hits
the buckets (vanes) on the
wheel and causes the wheel to
rotate.
• A spear rod which has a spear
shaped end can be moved by
a hand wheel.
This movement controls the flow
of water leaving the nozzle, before
it strikes the bucket(vane)
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5. • The bucket or vane is so shaped that when the water strikes, it gets
split into two and gives it an impulse force in the centre of the bucket.
This bucket is also known as splitter.
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10. • Kaplan turbine is a type of propeller turbine which was developed
during 1900’s by the Austrian engineer Victor Kaplan (1876 – 1934)
• Kaplan turbine is a low head turbine and used for heads of less than
80 metres.
• The runner of a kaplan turbine resembles with propeller of a ship.
That is why, a Kaplan turbine is also called as propeller turbine.
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11. • The turbine wheel, which is
completely under water, is
turned by the pressure of water
against its blades.
• Guide vanes regulate the
amount of water reaching the
wheel.
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14. • It is named after James B. Francis (1815 – 1892) an English born
inventor
who developed the turbine in the year 1849.
• It is used when the head is between 80 to 500 metres. i.e. it is a
medium head
turbine.
• It is a mixed flow reaction turbine.
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15. • A Francis turbine rotates in a
closed casing.
• Its wheel has many curved
blades called runner vanes as
many as 24.
• Its shaft is vertical. The wheel
of a Francis turbine operates
under water.
• The guide vanes and stay
vanes control the amount of
water flowing into the runner
vanes.
• The runner is rotated mainly
due to the weight or pressure
of the flowing water.
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16. Difference between Kaplan turbine and Francis
turbine:
Kaplan Turbine
Water enters the runner vanes
axially and leave axially hence it is
called axial flow turbine.
The number of blades in the runner
is generally between 3 and 8.
Francis Turbine
Water enters the runner vanes
radially and leaves axially hence it is
called a mixed flow turbine.
The number of blades in the runner
is generally between 16 and 24.
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17. Difference between Impulse and Reaction hydraulic
turbines:
Impulse Turbine
In an impulse turbine all
the available energy of water
is converted into kinetic
energy as it passes through a
nozzle.
The water flowing through
the nozzle impinges on the
buckets which are fixed on
the outer periphery of the
wheel.
Reaction Turbine
In a reaction turbine at the
entrance to the runner only a
part of the available energy
of water is converted into
kinetic energy and a greater
part remains in the form of
pressure energy.
The water is guided by the
guide blades to flow over the
runner vanes.
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